Members of the MA special convention center commission told
Patriots Owner Robert Kraft that he "must be willing to pay more"
toward the construction of a stadium, according to today's BOSTON
HERALD. Sources say that Kraft's initial offer was between $60M-
70M. Meanwhile, citing the MA Lodging Association's "renewed
opposition" to any hotel tax hike to pay for a megaplex and Gov.
William Weld's pledge to veto any statewide tax hike to help
finance the facility, MA House Ways and Means Chair Thomas
Finneran "warned" yesterday that the dome "could doom the
convention center." Finneran: "I need to hear that the
commission has solid, substantial private financing for
everything over and above a convention center alone." State Sen.
Robert Havern: "The vast majority of the stadium costs must be
privately paid for and we are making serious progress toward that
end" (Phil Primack, BOSTON HERALD, 5/17).

The Chargers have extended their lease agreement with the
city of San Diego and Jack Murphy Stadium through 2020. Included
in the agreement are plans to expand the capacity of Jack Murphy
to accommodate more than 70,000 fans (Chargers). The deal will
net the Chargers 10,582 new general admission seats, 26 new
luxury suites, two new scoreboards, and a "state-of-the-art off-
site" practice facility, according to the SAN DIEGO UNION
TRIBUNE. The city will be responsible for $60M in revenue bonds,
with a yearly retirement fee of $7M, and a commitment to
guarantee the sale of 60,000 seats per game for the life of the
deal. In return, the Chargers agree to an average of $5M in lease
payments to the city each season. All renovations are set to be
completed by the time San Diego hosts Super Bowl XXXII in '98
(Barry Bloom, SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE, 5/16).